Pianist Kevin hays finds spontaneity is the key

John MunsonKevin Hays, playing the piano at New York’s New School, where he is an instructor, will appeare at Smoke in Manhattan this weekend.

Kevin Hays is a natural jazz improviser.

A pianist from age 6, who has worked with major-league jazz musicians since he was 16, the 41-year-old Hays has performed with masters such as tenor saxophonists Sonny Rollins and Joe Henderson.

He’s also served as a leader, offering beguiling statements that mix hearty melody with a thirst for experimentation.

“There’s something about improvising, being on that edge,” says Hays, a New York City native who lives upstate in Marlboro. “I’ve always felt like the most exciting thing was when I didn’t know what I was going to play. I’ve felt connected to that zone; it’s very beautiful space to be in, that spontaneous moment. It’s a very vital experience when I’m in that flow. It feeds me creatively, spiritually.”

Hays leads his quartet Friday and Saturday at Smoke Jazz Club in Manhattan. Though he loves the piano, has always been drawn to its sound, he finds he has had a “rocky” relationship with the instrument.

“The piano’s something I feel close to, and at same time, I need to not crowd it, not get too intense,” says the musician, whose CDs include his excellent “El Matador” (Evidence, 1998), which features Henderson, and last year’s “You’ve Got a Friend” (JazzEyes), an alluring trio date with bassist Doug Weiss and drummer Bill Stewart.

“I can’t get too dependent,” he says. “I have to let the piano breathe. I’ve spent months where I’ve not touched the instrument.

“Yet I always come back and there’s a reconciliation. It’s an interesting journey with the instrument and music as it pertains to life. My growth as a musician is tied to my growth as a person. This is not to diminish the importance of hard work, but I feel I’ve made my best progress when I let go a bit.”

Composition is another important aspect of Hays’ art. He’s been writing since high school, and the Smoke date, which includes Weiss, tenor saxophonist Mark Turner and drummer Rodney Green, will include several of his works.

“What I love about composition is that it’s like putting puzzles together, and like a puzzle, there’s always a solution,” he says. “I enjoy putting the melody down, then editing it. A lot of times I’ll revamp tunes, even after I’ve finished them. I like to change things up, keep it fresh.”

At Smoke, one of his presentations will combine an older tune, “What Survives,” with a new one, “The Dreamer,” from his upcoming ArtistShare recording.

“This version has an ostinato in an odd meter, and it’s always fun to play,” Hays says.

Another item will be “New Day.” “It’s a real simple, singable tune that’s got a little country feel to it,” he says. “People seem to like it.”

Reworked standards will also be on tap, perhaps including “Stablemates,” the clasic by Benny Golson, with whom Hays also performed. “I started playing around with it, moving the bass notes up half a step,” then reworking others parts.

One or two of Turner’s tunes might also be aired.

Speaking about his colleagues, Hays is enthusiastic. “They’re all great, and they all really contribute,” he says.

Hays also teaches privately and at the New School in New York. “I develop little systems for helping students really improvise,” he says. “I enjoy it, and I get better by teaching.”Kevin Hays

When: Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m.-12:30 a.m.

Where: Smoke Jazz Club and Lounge, 2751 Broadway at 106th Street, New York.